St Luke's in Remuera has put up an Easter-themed cartoon which aims to show how Trump's views contradict the messages of Jesus Christ.

St Luke's minister Glynn Cardy said Christ would have been considered a "loser" by the Trumps of his day.

"To the Trumps of his day, and to those who see winners as having money and power, the Jesus of the Bible was a loser who associated with those rejected by society. And he died broke," Cardy said.

"Jesus had an alternative vision of reality, however.

"He was a person who sided with minorities and those who were most vulnerable, and it was this that got him killed."

Trump's comments about Muslims, Mexicans and women were offensive to Christianity, Cardy said.

"For those of us at St Luke's, the cross is about politics. Jesus was killed - violently, publicly and shamefully - because he spoke truth to power and confronted the leaders of his day about their treatment of the outcasts."

Watch interview with Glyn Cardy.

Listen to interview on RNZ

In a freewheeling conversation with reporters on his flight back from his recent visit to Mexico, Pope Francis was asked about Trump and some of his statements, such as vowing to build a wall between the United States and Mexico if he becomes president.

The Pope said, "A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian."

Francis said in answer to a specific question about Trump's views, "This is not in the gospel."

Asked if American Catholics should vote for someone with Trump's views, Francis said:

"I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

Minister Reverend Glynn Cardy had previously been behind controversial billboards at St Matthew-in-the-city - including one showing Mary and Joseph in bed with the caption, "Poor Joseph, God was a hard act to follow."

The church also supported gay marriage with a number of billboards.

Cardy says Christmas is not only about being generous and welcoming as individuals, but about making sure "our Government's policies towards refugees are generous and welcoming".

"Rather than being greeted by a gun, a barbed-wire fence and a blunt statement 'Sorry, there's no room', could not we greet refugees with shelter, food, and assistance with work?" he asks.

Source

• newstalkzb.co.nz
• Image: 3news.co.nz

St Luke's Presbyterian Church minister Reverend Glynn Cardy, who was behind the often-controversial billboards at St Matthew's-in-the-city in the past, said they put this billboard up to get people thinking about what they can do to address the issue of poverty. Continue reading

She says St Matthew's well known controversial billboards will continue.

"What kind of message we have on them we will have to look at. It is such an interesting church."

Jacobi is the first female vicar at St Matthew.

"It's quite surprising really because St Matthew is so liberal, they just haven't got around to it," she said.

She had been filling a temporary post in Auckland before accepting the permanent position at St Matthew's.

Ordained in the Diocese of Wellington in 1991, Jacobi was the first woman to become Dean of Waiapu Cathedral in Napier.

She served in this position for nine years, until 2013.

Before that she served as the vicar of St Luke's in Wadestown, Wellington.

Jacobi has also lived in Ottawa, Canada, and France where she was involved with Christian education and community ministry.

She also has experience in social work, and in social policy research.

Last year, she completed a three month stay in the USA where she was a scholar in residence at Virginia Theological Seminary.

Source

• Stuff.co.nz
• Image: New Zealand Herald

The vicar of St Matthew-in-the-City, Glynn Cardy, is leaving his Anglican church to lead a Presbyterian church in Remuera, Auckland.

Last week the Anglican church appointed Digby Wilkinson, the senior pastor at Palmerston North's Central Baptist Church, to be the Dean of the Wellington's St Paul's Cathedral.

Cardy said he was changing because after nine years he needed a change. And although he was switching denominations, the core values of St Luke's weren't so different from his current workplace.

"It's not that usual [to switch denominations] but I suppose more in common is my theology - what I believe in [about] God fits very comfortably with St Luke's people.

"I believe that faith isn't just for people who are believers. It's about a way to promote compassion in society as a whole. There's a message there about how to treat one another and how to be just in society," he says.

The Rev Craig Vernall, who is the National Leader of the Baptist Church, has congratulated Wilkinson on his appointment.

"As a Baptist family of churches we congratulate Digby Wilkinson on his appointment as Dean to the Wellington Cathedral.

"It's tremendous to see this cross pollination of Christian traditions strengthening the body of Christ in our land," he said.

Auckland University School of Theology head Dr Stephen Garner said there were few issues with Anglican, Methodist or Presbyterian ministers moving between denominations.

There were agreements in place for that to occur, although Rev Cardy would have to apply to the relevant regional presbytery first. He would still remain an ordained Anglican priest even when he moved to St Luke's, Dr Garner said.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• Stuff.co.nz
• Anglican Taonga
• Image: StMatthews.org.nz